Sunday, March 16, 2014

The Black Hole

Welcome to my blog.  Do any of you have a black hole at your house or place of business?  You know - the mysterious place where the very thing you're searching so diligently for has disappeared?  I have several of them.

There's one in my car.  I've lost untold numbers of eyeliner and mascara in it.  (Of course, my theory is my teenage daughter has decided to "adopt" said items.......but she vehemently denies it....every time.)  I've also lost business cards, my kindle, lots of glasses - reading and sun.

Black holes exist all over my living room too.  My husband recently discovered my kindle (yes, my kindle adores black holes, wherever they may be.) just outside the living room black hole.  It languished in the black hole over three weeks causing me to purchase a replacement, much to the joy of our son, Jonathan who now inherits the black hole dweller.

But the most treacherous black hole of all is the one at work.  I haven't lost anything significant in it YET, but I am acutely aware of its existence.  So much so, that whenever I work on a file - I could be returning in 5 minutes - I refile it.  I do not leave it on my desk.  You see, where I work, there is a whole lot of desk sharing.  I find things that are not mine on my desk on a daily basis.  I'm pretty sure a black hole lurks closely to my desk.  I'm suspicious every time I sit down.

Not only that, but there is a black hole on my laptop as well.  Multiple users of all ages and all tastes=multiple hiding places for files, bugs and photos.  It's a law of physics, I'm certain.

I've heard that if everything is in its place consistently, black holes begin to shrink in size.  The challenge is, how can everything be in its place when there isn't enough place for everything?  There's no space to purchase more things to create space and the "stuff" seems to be pretty important - especially when it falls into the black hole.  Therein lies my dilemma.  If you have any ideas, let me know!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

My Writing Journey 3.12.14

Today I met with my editor, www.wendyvanhatten.com.  I haven't written a book yet, and I know I have several struggling to get out of my brain.  It was an exciting meeting.  I laughed, I cried - all in the process of discussing my ideas, my family, my life as a military brat (child of military parents, sometimes referred to as "Third Culture Kids") and
what I hope to accomplish with this particular book.

Suddenly I realized that this project must come to fruition.  I simply HAS TO BE.  I am a passionate person, and once I harness that passion, I can do anything.

We discussed a forward - and who I would like to write it...testimonials and those particular individuals that I would like to contribute their thoughts.  The photographs - what works and what doesn't; what's economical and necessary and what can be posted on a website for my readers to interact.  (Guess I will be needing a website...)

I was amazed and pleased with how quickly the book could go from transcript to editing to publishing - four weeks from transcript to published.  Fantastic!  My goal is to have the final transcript by the end of February 2015.  I think that may be a little ambitious given that it is my first book, however, that passion again....I'm certain that passion will fuel the book.

You may have noticed my Blog is called "Bratalicious".  Clever?  Maybe....cliche?  Uh, yes.....but the most clever for what was available to me that was also palatable.

My first step is this blog.  Perhaps the reader would like to take this journey with me......or perhaps not.  Either way, it is a stepping stone to the final product; however it may turn out.  I'm looking to put a new spin on Brat points of view - at least, I hope to accomplish that, and I hope to write my book as a travel log or travel book.

There are many military brats out there and many of them are writing.  I think we are compelled to write.  We have had a unique experience in our lives and our numbers are dwindling.  My book shall explore a little of that "brat culture", a little bit of Cold War History and a little sight seeing.

I will probably have WAY more blogs than I chose to publish.  Just sitting and writing this today is liberating me, so I imagine I will use this tool frequently, albeit often poorly.  But I am proud of what I have accomplished today and that counts!